Tafsir of Maryam 19:58

Surah Maryam (19): Verse 58

{أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَا إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا}

Translation and Exegesis (Tafsir):

Know that the Almighty praised each of the previously mentioned Prophets individually according to their specific merits. Then, He gathered them together, saying: {Those are the ones whom Allah has favored}—meaning, favored them with prophethood and other merits previously described.

The word {Those} (Ula'ika) refers to those mentioned in the Surah starting from Zakariyya up to Idris. Then, they are collectively mentioned as being from the progeny of Adam.

Some among them are further specified as being from the progeny of those who traveled with Noah. Idris (peace be upon him) is the one specified as being from the progeny of Adam but not from those who traveled with Noah, as established in narrations, indicating he preceded Noah.

As for those from the progeny of those who traveled with Noah, that is Abraham (peace be upon him), because he is from the offspring of Shem, the son of Noah. Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob are from the progeny of Abraham.

Then, some are further specified as being from the progeny of Israel (i.e., Jacob): Moses, Aaron, Zakariyya, John, and Jesus (through his mother).

Thus, Allah, the Sublime and Exalted, arranged the status of the Prophets (peace be upon them) in this sequence, indicating that just as they were favored by their deeds, they also had an added distinction through their lineage from these Prophets.

Then, He clarified that they were among those {whom We guided and chose}, indicating that they attained these high stations due to Allah's guidance and His selection of them for the message.

Then He said: {Those are the ones whom Allah has favored, of the Prophets, from among those We guided and chose}. This means: these blessings were bestowed upon these Prophets. Thus, Allah clarified that despite the favors upon them, they reached a level where, {whenever the verses of Our signs were recited to them, they would fall down in prostration and weeping}.

Prostration here signifies humility, awe, apprehension, and fear.

The {verses of Our signs} (Ayatina) refer to the revealed Books that were sent down to them.

Abu Muslim interpreted the verses as those containing mention of the punishment sent down upon the disbelievers, but this view is weak, because all verses—those mentioning Paradise, Hellfire, and so on—are more deserving of causing them to prostrate and weep. Therefore, it must be understood to encompass every recited verse that includes a promise, a threat, encouragement, or warning, as contemplation of any of these warrants prostration and weeping.

There is a difference of opinion regarding the nature of the prostration:

1. Some said it refers to the formal prayer (Salat).
2. Others said it refers to the prostration of recitation (Sujud al-Tilawah), according to what we have been commanded.
3. Another view is that it means submission, humility, and awe.

The apparent meaning suggests a specific prostration upon recitation. It is possible that it refers to the prostration of recitation of the Qur'an. It is also possible that when fear overcame them, they were commanded to prostrate, so they performed it not because the verse explicitly mentioned prostration, but as an act of worship commanded at that time.

Al-Zajjaj explained {weeping} (bukiyyan) as the plural of one who is weeping, similar to shahid (witness) and shuhud (witnesses), or qa'id (sitter) and qu'ud (sitting). He argued that a person is not actively prostrating while in the state of khurur (falling down), so the meaning is that they fell down intending to prostrate. He also stated that whoever interprets bukiyyan as an infinitive (verbal noun) has erred, because sujjadan is the plural of sajid (one who prostrates), and bukiyyan is coordinated with it.

From the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "Recite the Qur'an and weep. If you cannot weep, then try to weep."

Salih al-Muri narrated that he recited the Qur'an to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in a dream, and the Prophet said to him: "O Salih, this is the recitation, but where is the weeping?"

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When you recite a verse requiring prostration (Subhan), do not rush the prostration until you weep. If the eye of one of you does not weep, let his heart weep."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The Qur'an was revealed in sadness, so recite it with sadness."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said: "No eye will be filled with water [from weeping] except that Allah will forbid its body from the Fire."

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "He whose eye sheds tears out of fear of Allah will not enter the Fire."

The scholars said: One should supplicate in the prostration of recitation with what is appropriate for it.

• If one recites a verse requiring prostration (Ayat al-Tanzil), one should say: "O Allah, make me one who prostrates to Your Face, glorifying Your praise, and I seek refuge in You from being among those who are arrogant concerning Your command."
• If one recites the prostration verse (Sajdat Subhan), one should say: "O Allah, make me one of those who weep to You, humble before You."
• If one recites this specific verse (19:58), one should say: "O Allah, make me among Your favored servants, guided, prostrating to You, and weeping upon the recitation of the verses of Your Book."

{فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَوَاتِ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا * إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا}

Translation:

{But there succeeded them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet Ghayy (a valley of Hell or utter loss), * Except for one who repented, believed, and did righteous work; then those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all.}